Percentage Increase Calculator: Formula and Examples

A percentage increase calculator shows how much a value has risen as a percentage of its starting value. Enter the original value and the new value to get the increase in units and the percentage increase.

Formula

Percentage increase = (new value − original value) ÷ original value × 100. The amount increased = new value − original value. In the calculator, original is the starting value, new is the later value, and difference is the change between them. Values should use the same units, such as dollars, kilograms, or people. The percentage itself has no unit.

Worked Example

Using the calculator’s default values, the original value is 100 and the new value is 120.

1. Find the difference: 120 − 100 = 20.
2. Divide the difference by the original value: 20 ÷ 100 = 0.2.
3. Convert the ratio to a percentage: 0.2 × 100 = 20%.

The result is a 20.00% increase, with an amount increased of 20.00 units.

How Percentage Increase Works

The calculation measures a change relative to the starting point. It does not simply report the difference. For example, an increase of 20 is a 20% increase when the original value is 100, but it is a 10% increase when the original value is 200. The starting value is therefore essential to interpreting the result.

The formula can be read as “change divided by starting value.” Multiplying by 100 expresses that ratio per hundred. A ratio of 0.2 corresponds to 20%, while a ratio of 0.05 corresponds to 5%.

Although this page is about increases, the same calculation can produce a negative result if the new value is lower than the original. For instance, moving from 100 to 80 gives (80 − 100) ÷ 100 × 100 = −20%, meaning a 20% decrease. A negative result is a decrease, not an increase.

When to Use the Calculator

Use percentage increase to compare a later measurement with a baseline, provided both figures describe the same kind of quantity and are measured consistently. Common examples include comparing a count between two dates, checking a change in a measurement, or describing how far a listed value has moved from its previous value. The calculation gives a relative change, which can make changes from different starting amounts easier to compare.

To use the result correctly:

• Enter the earlier or baseline amount as the original value.
• Enter the later amount as the new value.
• Keep the units consistent. Do not compare, for example, a distance in miles with one in kilometers unless you first convert them.
• Read the percentage as a change relative to the original, not as the new value itself.

If both values are in the same currency, the formula gives a mathematical percentage change. It does not account for inflation, fees, taxes, or other factors that might affect what a change means in a particular context.

Percentage Increase vs. Percentage Points

A percentage increase is different from a change measured in percentage points. Suppose a share rises from 10% to 15%. The difference is 5 percentage points. Relative to the original 10%, however, the increase is (15 − 10) ÷ 10 × 100 = 50%.

This distinction matters whenever the values being compared are already percentages, such as rates or proportions. Saying “up 5%” may be ambiguous: it could mean up by five percentage points, or up by 5% relative to the starting rate. State the intended measure clearly.

Common Mistakes and Limits

• Using the wrong baseline: The original value belongs in the denominator. Reversing the two values changes the result and may change its meaning.
• Reporting only the difference: A change from 40 to 50 is 10 units, but the percentage increase is 25% because 10 ÷ 40 × 100 = 25%.
• Mixing units: Convert measurements to the same unit before calculating. Matching labels alone is not enough if one value is recorded in a different scale.
• Rounding too early: Keep the original precision through the calculation and round the final percentage for display. The calculator shows two decimal places, so small underlying differences may be hidden by rounding.
• Starting at zero: If the original value is zero, division by zero is undefined. There is no finite percentage increase from zero under this formula; report the absolute change instead.

The formula describes the change between two values, not why the change occurred. It also does not by itself establish whether the change is meaningful: that depends on measurement quality, context, and any relevant time period.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate percentage increase manually?
Subtract the original value from the new value, divide by the original value, then multiply by 100. For a rise from 40 to 50, the calculation is (50 − 40) ÷ 40 × 100 = 25%.

Can percentage increase be negative?
Yes. If the new value is lower than the original, the formula returns a negative percentage, which indicates a decrease. You can describe its magnitude as a percentage decrease.

What is the percentage increase from zero?
It cannot be calculated with the standard formula because the original value is the denominator and division by zero is undefined. Give the absolute difference, or explain the change without assigning a percentage increase.

Is percentage increase the same as percentage change?
Percentage change is the broader term for relative movement between two values. If the result is positive, it is an increase; if negative, it is a decrease. The calculation uses the original value as the baseline in either case.

How is percentage increase different from percentage points?
Percentage points are the direct subtraction of two percentages. Percentage increase divides that difference by the original percentage and expresses the relative change. A move from 10% to 15% is 5 percentage points, or a 50% increase.

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in original | Original value | - | 100 | 0
in new | New value | - | 120 | 0
out increase | Percentage increase | % | (new - original) / original * 100 | 2
out difference | Amount increased | - | new - original | 2